Shooting Stars in Latin America
February 23rd 2010 17:47
For the Carlisle game I wrote about the added dangers of watching football in Latin America compared with attending a game in Europe. In the days following Richard Offiong’s late winner stark differences for footballers in the two regions also became apparent.
In a trendy nightspot in Mexico City the Paraguayan international Salvador Cabañas was gunned down. Three months before the Club America striker was critically injured Fernando Cáceres was shot in the head in Buenos Aires. As an astute defender Cáceres had represented Argentina in the 1994 World Cup.
It was after USA 94 that the football world was rocked when Colombian defender Andrés Escobar was shot dead by a disgruntled fan.
It had been a decent couple of years for Salvador Cabañas prior to the awful event. After being an unused substitute at the 2006 World Cup in Germany the striker was set for a starting role in South Africa later this year.
Cabañas finished Paraguay’s latest World Cup qualifying series as his country’s leading goalscorer. The forward’s goals and performances were an integral part of La Albirroja picking up a record 33 points and booking their place at the World Cup with two games to spare.
This year’s World Cup is now the last thing on Cabañas’ mind as he fights for his life in hospital.
Cabañas was enjoying a night out with his wife in Bar Bar, a trendy hangout in Mexico City. It was during a trip to the toilets that the Paraguayan international was shot.
Attention is focused on two suspects who were filmed on the bar’s security camera leaving the toilets where Cabañas was shot. The suspects departed the scene in a car without number plates.
The two suspects have been identified as businessman José J Balderas Garza, nicknamed El Modelo, and his bodyguard. Balderas Garza is known to be a regular at Bar Bar along with many of Mexico’s most famous footballers and celebrities.
Balderas Garza is said to own 10 luxury cars and four homes, the businessman is from a region of northern Mexico well known for its drug lords. The shooting is believed to have followed a conversation between Balderas Garza and Cabañas where the footballer was criticised for not scoring enough goals for his club.
After the shooting for Cabañas underwent a six hour operation which was successful in stopping his internal bleeding. The bullet remains lodged in his brain however as doctors fear removing it could lead to a deterioration in Cabañas’ condition.
Cabañas recovery so far have amazed the doctors, the statistic for people dying from such injuries stands at about 80 per cent. Another of the lucky 20 per cent is former Argentine international Fernando Cáceres.
In January this year Cáceres was released after three months in hospital, he has lost the use of one eye and the bullet remains lodged in his head but it was the best result anyone could have wished for.
The ordeals of Cabañas and Cáceres are sure to stay with them for the rest of their lives. One footballer who did not escape a shooting with his life was Colombian defender Andrés Escobar.
There have been other football related deaths and numerous kidnapping cases in Latin America. John Terry may currently be resenting the microscope which footballers come under in England. In this part of the world the problems can be a little more troublesome than a week of bad headlines.
Up the City!
Tim
Really Long Link
In a trendy nightspot in Mexico City the Paraguayan international Salvador Cabañas was gunned down. Three months before the Club America striker was critically injured Fernando Cáceres was shot in the head in Buenos Aires. As an astute defender Cáceres had represented Argentina in the 1994 World Cup.
It was after USA 94 that the football world was rocked when Colombian defender Andrés Escobar was shot dead by a disgruntled fan.
It had been a decent couple of years for Salvador Cabañas prior to the awful event. After being an unused substitute at the 2006 World Cup in Germany the striker was set for a starting role in South Africa later this year.
Cabañas finished Paraguay’s latest World Cup qualifying series as his country’s leading goalscorer. The forward’s goals and performances were an integral part of La Albirroja picking up a record 33 points and booking their place at the World Cup with two games to spare.
This year’s World Cup is now the last thing on Cabañas’ mind as he fights for his life in hospital.
Cabañas was enjoying a night out with his wife in Bar Bar, a trendy hangout in Mexico City. It was during a trip to the toilets that the Paraguayan international was shot.
Attention is focused on two suspects who were filmed on the bar’s security camera leaving the toilets where Cabañas was shot. The suspects departed the scene in a car without number plates.
The two suspects have been identified as businessman José J Balderas Garza, nicknamed El Modelo, and his bodyguard. Balderas Garza is known to be a regular at Bar Bar along with many of Mexico’s most famous footballers and celebrities.
Balderas Garza is said to own 10 luxury cars and four homes, the businessman is from a region of northern Mexico well known for its drug lords. The shooting is believed to have followed a conversation between Balderas Garza and Cabañas where the footballer was criticised for not scoring enough goals for his club.
After the shooting for Cabañas underwent a six hour operation which was successful in stopping his internal bleeding. The bullet remains lodged in his brain however as doctors fear removing it could lead to a deterioration in Cabañas’ condition.
Cabañas recovery so far have amazed the doctors, the statistic for people dying from such injuries stands at about 80 per cent. Another of the lucky 20 per cent is former Argentine international Fernando Cáceres.
In January this year Cáceres was released after three months in hospital, he has lost the use of one eye and the bullet remains lodged in his head but it was the best result anyone could have wished for.
The ordeals of Cabañas and Cáceres are sure to stay with them for the rest of their lives. One footballer who did not escape a shooting with his life was Colombian defender Andrés Escobar.
There have been other football related deaths and numerous kidnapping cases in Latin America. John Terry may currently be resenting the microscope which footballers come under in England. In this part of the world the problems can be a little more troublesome than a week of bad headlines.
Up the City!
Tim
Really Long Link
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